Road-rail transport apparatus

ABSTRACT

Compound mode load-transporting apparatus including a railway vehicle having a longitudinally extending frame and a roadway vehicle having front and rear wheels tandem arranged and operative upwardly convergingly and downwardly divergingly wheelbasewise. The roadway vehicle is adapted to be loaded on the railway vehicle by: (a) operating the front and rear wheels downwardly divergingly to a lengthened wheelbase configuration, (b) positioning the roadway vehicle crosswise of the rail vehicle rail track, (c) moving the rail vehicle on the rail track to a disposition positioning the rail vehicle between the front and rear wheels of the roadway vehicle, and (d) retracting the front and rear wheels of the roadway vehicle upwardly convergingly to a contacted wheelbase configuration embracing the frame of the railway vehicle.

United States Patent Montague W. Shannon P.O. Box 1720, Memphis, Tenn.38101 [21] Appl. No. 773,470

[22] Filed Nov. 5, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 [72] Inventor s4ROAD-RAIL TRANSPORT APPARATUS 10 Claims, 19 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 105/368 8, 105/159, 105/215 C [51] Int. Cl B6Sj1/14, B65jH22 [50] Field of Search 105/159,

Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman ABSTRACT: Compound modeload-transporting apparatus including a railway vehicle having alongitudinally extending frame and a roadway vehicle having front andrear wheels tandem arranged and operative upwardly convergingly anddownwardly divergingly wheelbasewise. The roadway vehicle is adapted tobe loaded on the railway vehicle by: (a) operating the front and rearwheels downwardly divergingly to a lengthened wheelbase configuration,(b) positioning the roadway vehicle crosswise of the rail vehicle railtrack, (c) moving the rail vehicle on the rail track to a dispositionpositioning the rail vehicle between the front and rear wheels of theroadway vehicle, and (d) retracting the front and rear wheels of theroadway vehicle upwardly convergingly to a contacted wheelbaseconfiguration embracing the frame of the railway vehicle.

PATENTEU um 5 I971 SHEET 1 OF 5 MONTAGUE w. summon PATENTEU 0m 5197:

SHEET 2 OF 5 INVENTOR. MONTAGUE W. SHANNON PATENTED BET 5 I97! SHEET 3BF 5 I N VE N TOR. MONTAGUE W. SHANNON PATENTED 0m 5 I971 saw u 0F 5 \Jammm INVENTOR.

MONTAGUE w. SHANNON PATEHTH'! mm 5511 3,610,169

SHEET 5 0F 5 {I "1 INVENTOR. n MONTAGUE w. SHANNON IO IO ROAD-RAILTRANSPORT APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention Relate: to material or load-handling and to railroadhighwaytransport apparatus adapted for transporting material or load structureover rail or road.

2. Description of the Prior Art The invention is an improvement on myearlier invention US. Pat. No. 3,370,551 the broad concept being toprovide a railway vehicle and a road running carrier adapted to bestraddle mounted crosswise on the railway vehicle with the direction oftravel of the carrier being perpendicular to the direction of travel ofthe railway vehicle. In certain applications of the road-rail apparatusas disclosed in US. Pat. No.

3,370,551 certain undesirable features are noted particularly withregard to the front and rear road wheels of the carrier overhangingoppositely and intersecting existing railroad lateral clearance lines orwayside structure when the carrier was transportably supported astraddlethe railway vehicle. Also, the long wheelbase spacing of the roadvehicle of US. Pat. No. 3,370,551 generally restricted its use tovehicle combinations requiring steerable wheels, and the broad wheelbasespacing and vertical wheel movement was not applicable in tandem wheelarrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention obviates the objectionalfeatures noted in the road-rail apparatus described in US. Pat. No.3,370,551, substantially by providing road vehicle means of tandem wheelconfiguration having wheels movable upwardly converging downwardlydiverging; the wheel movement may be embodied in vehicle combinations oftypical tandem wheelbase configuration and without requiring steerableroad wheels. The wheels of the roadway vehicle are arranged upwardlyconvergingly in a contracted wheelbase configuration: (a) when the roadvehicle is being rail transported thereby firmly mounting the roadwayvehicle on the railway vehicle and affording railroad wayside clearance,and (b) when the road vehicle is in road-running fonn, thereby affordingtypical tandem wheelbase configuration and ready skewing movement of thewheels on a road surface in road travel.

The converging diverging wheel movement of the road vehicle alsoprovides several ancillary advantages when the vehicle is inroad-running form: (a) the wheel movement permits selective adjustmentof the load-bed height to correspond with the height of a loading dockor platform, (b) a road vehicle for hauling particulate or bulk materialmay be fitted with dropbottom gates for dumping a load while the loadbed is raised, (c) the folding wheel movement of the road vehiclepermits tilting load-bed action without pivotally mounting the load bed,and (d) the roadway vehicle may be fitted to convey and positioncontainers or the like.

The roadrail apparatus is directed toward application in a wide range oftransportation activity. It is considered to be useful in generalrailroad-highway traffic movements, in transporting and positioningcontainers, in handling water and air freight shipments, in off-highwaytransporting including earthmoving, agricultural and mining operations,in construction work, transporting heavy equipment, and for use inprefabricated house conveyance and installation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of theroad-rail apparatus of the invention including a single tandem type roadvehicle crosswise supported on a rail vehicle of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal plane sectional view taken as on the line 11-11of FIG. 1, but without showing the rail car truck seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the road-rail vehicle meansincluding a single tandem rear tandem semitrailer type road vehicleelevatingly supported with its forward end arranged over a motortransport tractor vehicle and its rearward end arranged crosswise overthe rail vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal broken plane sectional view of the semitrailertype vehicle means taken as on the line lV-IV of FIG. 3, but withoutshowing the motor transport tractor vehicle or the rail vehicle means.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a preferred form of railway vehiclemeans of the road-rail apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a schematic transverse section view of the rail vehicle.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal plane sectional view taken as on the line VII-VIIof FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 illustrates automotive truck type road vehicle means of theroad-rail apparatus.

FIG. 9 illustrates a heavy duty single tandem trailer type carriervehicle as being towed by a crawler tractor.

FIG. 10 illustrates the loading of two semitrailer type roadway vehiclemeans on the railway vehicle means of the invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a single tandem road vehicle or wheeled carriersimilar to the road vehicle of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 12 and -13 illustrate a single tandem road vehicle havingpivotable and tiltable load-bearing bed structure; FIGS. 12 and 13illustrate the loading of a crawler tractor load on the bed structure ofthe vehicle.

FIG. 14 illustrates a motor transport tractor-semitrailer combination ofthe road-rail apparatus.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate double tandem full trailer road vehicle meansof the invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates self-propelling automotive type road vehicle meansadapted for heavy hauling service.

FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the road-rail apparatusillustrating several forms of road vehicle means transportably supportedon two connected railway vehicles of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 18 illustrating also theloading and unloading of the respective road vehicle means on or off therailway vehicle means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 illustrate asomewhat simplified embodiment of the present invention including arailway car 21 and roadway vehicle means 22 including a wheeled carrierassembly 23. Railway car 21 includes a long frame 25, preferablyskeleton type in construction, and forward and rearward rail car trucks27 supporting opposite end portions of frame 25. Frame 25 preferablyincludes a center sill 29, cross members 31 and forward and rearwardrailway coupling members 33 arranged on opposite end portions of frame25. Rail car trucks 27 each include wheel and axle assemblies 35journaled in truck bearings 37. Flanged wheels 39 runningly engagepaired rails 41 of the railroad track.

The base or frame structure 42 of carrier assembly 23 preferably is ofopenwork construction and includes a transversely arranged medialsection 43 and paired inner and outer frame rails 45, 47 rigidly securedto and projecting horizontally from opposite fore and aft sides ofmedial section 43. Front and rear wheel members 49, preferablydual-arranged wheel members, are pivotally supported on front and rearwheel suspension arms 51 supported on front and rear pivot shafts 53.Bearings 55 subjacently fixed on the opposite end portions respectivelyof outer frame rails 47 pivotally support front and rear pivot shafts 53in parallel arrangement and at respectively the forward and rearwardareas of the wheeled carrier frame structure. The proximal end of eachwheel suspension arm 51 is fixed respectively on opposite end portionsof pivot shafts 53. Outwardly extending stub axles 57 are fixedlysecured respectively on the distal end portions of wheel support arms 51and journal respectively front and rear wheel members 49.

Road vehicle means 22 preferably includes reach means in the form of atongue 59 supported on and extending forwardly horizontally from basestructure 42 of carrier assembly 23. Hitch half means 61 secured on thedistal end portion of tongue 59 is adapted to coactingly engage hitchhalf means 63 of a tractor vehicle 65. Tongue 59 is generally hairpinshaped and is adjustably supported from base structure 42 fortranslational horizontal adjustable movement relative to the carrierassembly base structure. Inner pair of frame rails 45 preferably aretubular and telescopically receive leg portions 67 of tongue 59. Tubularframe rails 45 define channel means for guidingly supporting tongue 59between a projected disposition whereupon the tongue projects forwardlycantilever fashion from the forward extremity of the base structure (seeFIG. 1) and a retracted disposition whereupon the tongue issubstantially fully received in frame rails 45 (see FIG. 2).

A removable horizontal lock pin 69 is fitted in aligned apertures in theforward terminal portions of inner frame rails 45 and provides means forlocking tongue 59in an extended or a retracted disposition. Beveledsurfaces 71 on the forward terminal portions respectively of outer framerails 47 permit horizontal manipulation of lock pin 69 when withdrawingor inserting the pin in paired inner frame rails 45. Lock pin 69 isadapted to be inserted in apertures provided in tongue leg portion 67when the tongue is in a projected cantilever disposition (see FIG. 1).When tongue 59 is in a retracted disposition, lock pin 69 bridginglyspans frame rails 45 and abuttingly engages the bight portion of thetongue thereby preventing its forward displacement (see FIG. 2). Thehorizontally rigid tongue structure extending forwardly from carrierassembly base structure 42 provides rigid reach means providing leveragemeans for turning the carrier left or right during road travel and whenit is being trailingly conveyed by a towing vehicle.

The load-bearing means of roadway vehicle means 23 may be of any fonnsuitable for the particular material or load structure handled and mayoptionally be of flat-bed type for handling solid or vehicular loads; aload containing type having a load container or load shell and bindingmeans removably binding the load shell on the base structure of thewheeled carrier; or a load holding type having load holding vanstructure permanently secured on the base structure of the carrierassembly: By way of example, roadway vehicle means 22 is illustrated anddescribed as being fitted with a load holding van-type body 73 (thelower portion only of the body being shown in FIG. 1).

The means for actuating wheel suspension arms 51 preferably includesforward and rearward piston-cylinder assemblies or rams 75 andselectively controllable hydraulic power means 77 supported on tractor65. Conduit means 79 connect hydraulic power means 77 with forward andrearward hydraulic rams 75. Each hydraulic ram 75 is pivotally anchoredat its base end by a pin 81 and is pivotally secured at its plunger endby a pin 83 fitted in a lever projection 85 fixed on and projectingupwardly from a respective pivot shaft 53. Actuating control lever 87 ontractor mounted hydraulic power means 77 causes converging or divergingmovement of wheel members 49.

For the purpose of clarity in description, FIG. 1 illustrates roadvehicle means 22 somewhat ambiguously in both a road running dispodtionand in a rail transported disposition. That feature of the inventionwhereby front and rear wheel members 49 are arranged in likeconfiguration both for road travel and rail travel is illustrated inFIG. 1. It will of course be understood that tongue 59 is arranged in aretracted disposition as illustrated in FIG. 2 when vehicle 22 issupported on railway car 21 in rail travel.

The procedure for loading roadway vehicle 22 on railway car frame 25 mayinclude the following actions: Road vehicle 22 is trailingly conveyed onroad surface S by tractor 65 transversely across and to a centeredposition over the railroad track. While keeping hydraulic conduit means79 connected, vehicle 22 is unhitched from tractor 65 and bymanipulation of lock pin 69, tongue 59 is moved to a retracteddisposition. Control lever 87 of tractor mounted hydraulic power means77 is manipulated to cause downward diverging movement of wheel members49 and raising of carrier assembly base structure 42. Railway car 21 isthen moved along track rails 41, underneath the carrier assembly basestructure and between front and rear wheel members 49. Hydraulic controllever 87 is again manipulated to cause wheel members 49 to move upwardlyconvergingly and adjacent opposite sides of rail car center sill 29. Thehydraulic conduit means 79 extending between vehicle 22 and tractor 65may then be disconnected, completing the loading procedure.

Vertical and horizontal positioning rollers 89, 91 preferably arejoumaled respectively on vehicle 22and railway car 21. Four verticalpositioning rollers 89, arranged in generally rectangular configuration,preferably are joumaled on the underside of carrier assembly basestructure 42 and respectively dependingly on opposite end portions orpaired outer frame rails 47. Confrontingly opening C-shaped brackets 93(two brackets only shown in FIG. 1) journal vertical positioning rollers89 in confrontingly arranged pairs of rollers. The vertical positioningrollers are adapted to engage converging side surfaces 95 (see FIG. 5)on the leading end of rail car frame 25 as the rail car is moved beneaththe wheel carrier base structure and serve to longitudinally center roadvehicle 22 over the rail car as the rail car is moved underneath carrierassembly base structure 42 and between the front and rear wheel members49.

Horizontal positioning rollers 91 each are arranged in a longitudinallyextending row of rollers arranged on opposite sides of rail car frame25. Rollers 91 are longitudinally arranged and freely joumaled on shafts97 secured respectively on the opposite distal end portions ofcrossmembers 31. During the vertical movement of carrier assembly basestructure 42, during loading and unloading of vehicle 22, horizontalrollers 91 on railway car 21 may engage vertical positioning rollers 89of vehicle 22 and provide antifriction means for centering the roadvehicle over the rail car. Generally cylindrical shock absorber means orair spring members 99 preferably are fitted respectively on the proximalportions of front and rear wheel suspension arms 51 for providing springmeans for the road vehicle during road travel. When wheel members 49 aremoved upwardly convergingly, spring members 99 are moved upwardlyagainst the underside of outer frame rails 47 and provide cushioningmeans between wheel members 49 and base structure 42.

Crawler type tractor 65' and a heavy duty trailer type roadway vehiclehaving front and rear wheel gangs 49' and a vehicle useful fortransportably supporting heavy loads on soft terrain. Although notspecifically illustrated, the roadway vehicle 22 includes wheeledcarrier structure 23' and means for converging diverging movement offront and rear wheel gangs 49'.

FIG. 1 1 illustrates another embodiment of the invention including aroadway vehicle 22" having selectively operative means adapted forpivotally or rigidly supporting a tongue 59" from the base structure ofa carrier assembly 23". Road vehicle 22" is fitted with load holdingstructure in the form of an open topped hopper 73" having selectivelyoperative drop bottom doors 74". Vehicle 22" is useful for hauling andspreading particulate or dry bulk material; the vehicle may optionallybe fitted with dry bulk spreading mechanism or means for spreading ordispensing chemical fertilizer, seeds, granular or particulatematerials.

Tongue 59" is arrangeable in three positions, namely, a free pivotingposition pivotable on a horizontal axis (as illustrated in FIG. 11); arigid position (not shown) wherein the tongue projects cantileverfashion from the base structure of carrier assembly 23"; or a fullyretracted disposition (not shown) wherein the tongue is retracted withinthe longitudinal extension of the carrier assembly base structure: Lockpin 69" may be inserted through aperture 70" for arranging tongue 59" ina rigid cantilever disposition or the pin may be arranged as illustratedin FIG. 11 for free pivotal movement of the tongue. Wheel members 49"may be convergingly or divergingly moved during forward travel ofvehicle 22" for dumping a bulk material load or for maneuvering thevehicle in field ser- A vice. The embodiments of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 1 1 depict single tandem full trailertype roadway vehicle means adapted for transporting short length loadsor loads of a length which may be contained within or between thelateral clearance lines or stationary wayside structure along a railroadtrack.

FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 14 illustrate a semitrailer type roadway vehicle 101adapted to be utilized with a motor transport tractor 103. Semitrailervehicle 101 includes a wheeled carrier assembly 105 including basestructure 107 having a transversely extending medial section 109 andoppositely projecting paired inner and outer rails 111, 113. Front andrear wheel members 1 are journaled on distal end portions respectivelyof wheel suspension arms 117 which are respectively supported on frontand rear pivot shafts l 19 supported in turn in pivot shaft bearings 121arranged respectively on opposite end portions of outer frame rails 113.Front and rear axle shafts 123 extend respectively between the distalend portions of front and rear wheel suspension arms 117 and journalrespectively front and rear wheel members 115.

The load-bearing means of road vehicle 101 may include removable loadshell or container box means or be of any configuration suitable forholding or containing the particular material handled. The load-bearingmeans exemplified, is in the form of van-type body 125 as illustrated inFIGS. 3, 4, 7, 10 and 14 (only the lower portion of van body 125 beingshown in FIG. 3). A king pin hitch half 127 dependingly fixed on theforward underportion of van body 125 is adapted to be coactingly coupledwith fifth wheel hitch half 129 of tractor 103. Van body 125, inaddition to providing load-bearing means for the material loadtransported, also provides fore and aft extending reach structure forturning carrier assembly 105 toward the left or right as semitrailervehicle 101 is trailingly conveyed along a road surface.

Road vehicle means 101 includes vertical thrust pivot means 131operatively arranged between base structure 107 of carrier assembly 105and load-bearing van body 125. Thrust pivot means 131 provides means forcontradirectional horizontally arced displacement of carrier assembly105 and van body reach structure 125. A short heavy pivot pin 133 firmlysecured respectively in carrier assembly base structure medial section109 and in the rearward center substructure portion of van body 125pivotally secures carrier assembly 105 and body 125 against relativeradial displacement at the pivot pin. Annular lower and upper thrustplates 135, 137 fixedly secured respectively and on carrier assembly 105and the rearward substructure portion of van body 125 provideantifriction turntablelike support means for the rearward portion of vanbody 125 on carrier assembly 105.

Hand lever operative dog means 139 (FIGS. 3 and 7) preferably is mountedon the rearward underside of van body 125 and includes a dog 141 havinga shank portion 143 mounted horizontally in bearings 145 fixeddependingly on the substructure of load-bearing body 125. Horizontalmovement of dog member 141 into and out of engagement with a notch 147in lower thrust plate 135 respectively locks or releases carrierassembly 105 and body 125 and constrains or permits relative pivotaldisplacement of the carrier assembly and van body. A helical compressionspring 149 fitted on shank 143 and tensioned between a shoulder 151 onthe shank and the forward one of bearings 145 yieldably urges dog member14] toward lower thrust plate 135 and toward a clogged engagement withnotch 147. A horizontal hand lever 153 pivotally fulcrumed at pin 155 tothe underside of body 125 and pinned at 157 to dog member shank 143provides hand operative means for retracting dog 141 from notch 147. Acatch 159 dependingly fixed on the underside of body 125 provides meansfor engaging the distal portion of lever 153 and for holding dog member141 in a disengaged configuration.

Forwardly and rearwardly arranged pairs of horizontal oppoaitelyprojecting ram members 161 fitted on carrier assembly base structure 107actuate respectively front and rear wheel members 115 through wheelsuspension arms 117. Forward and rearward pairs of ram members 161provide respectively simultaneously operative ram means for lifting andlowering the rearward end portion of semitrailer van body 125.Selectively controllable fluid power means 163 connected to ram members161 through conduit means 165 preferably provides means for energizingthe ram members and for converging diverging movement of wheel members 115. Selectively manipulating control lever 167 of fluid power means 163controls the converging diverging movement of wheel members andrespectively the lifting and lowering of semitrailer vehicle 101.

The means for loading and unloading vehicle 101 on rail car 21preferably includes landing gear means 169 arranged on the forwardunderside of van body for raising and supporting the forward end portionof the van body. Landing gear means 169 includes left and right landinggear assemblies 171 having respectively wheels 173. Telescopicallyfitted standards 175, 177 operatively interconnected by shaft means anddriven by power means 181 extend and retract respectively for raising orlowering van body 125. Power means 181 may be hydraulically orpneumatically energized or may include hand crank means 183 for liftingor lowering the van body. Landing gear assemblies 171 are retractablerearwardly by strut members 185 and in retracted dispositions arereceived respectively in downwardly opening enclosures 187.

The tractor vehicle of the tractor-semitrailer combination preferablyincludes power operative means for raising and lowering the fifth wheelhitch half of the tractor. FIG. 14 illustrates a tractor-semitrailercombination including a trucktractor vehicle 103 having a poweroperative fifth wheel hitch half 129. Selectively operative power means130' connected to hitch half 129' through link arms 132' provide meansfor raising or lowering hitch half 129 respectively for raising orlowering the forward end of semitrailer van body 125.

Considering that a tractor-semitrailer combination includes semitrailerroad vehicle means 101 and tractor vehicle 103', the following proceduremay be carried out in loading vehicle 101 on railway car 21:Tractor-semitrailer combination 101, 103' is moved transversely acrossthe railroad track and to a position whereat front and rear wheelmembers 115 are arranged symmetrically laterally of the rail track. Thefront and rear wheel members 115 of carrier assembly 105 aresimultaneously moved divergingly outwardly and downwardly therebyraising carrier assembly base structure 107 and spreading the front andrear wheels as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Fifth wheel hitch half 129' oftractor vehicle 103' preferably is simultaneously actuated with thediverging actuation of wheel members 1 15 for simultaneously raising theforward and rearward portions of van body 125 and for raising the vanbody in a level disposition; power means 130 of tractor vehicle 103'preferably is simultaneously operative with the diverging movement ofthe carrier wheels and the van body is raised and held in an elevateddisposition (see broken line showing of the van body in FIG. 14). Railcar 21 is then moved along the rail track and underneath the basestructure of carrier assembly 105; the railway car is moved betweenfront and rear wheel members 115 of the carrier assembly and to aposition whereat carrier assembly 105 is between forward and rearwardrail car trucks 27. Front and rear carrier assembly wheel members 115are convergingly moved inwardly and upwardly relative to base structure107 thereby causing the somewhat sequential actions, of (a) loweringbase structure 107 to rest on rail car frame 25; (b) raising front andrear carrier assembly wheel members 115 from the road surface; and (c)moving front and rear wheel members inwardly convergingly againstopposite sides of rail car center sill 29. Vehicle 101 is nowelevatingly arranged with its forward end supported on tractor vehiclefifth wheel hitch half 129' and its rearward end supported on rail car21 with wheel members 115 arranged astraddle rail car frame 25. Van bodyreach structure 125 may then be moved in a horizontal arc about pivotpin 133 to a corresponding longitudinally aligned disposition over railcar frame 25 (see FIGS. 10, 18 and 19). Fifth wheel hitch half 129' oftruck-tractor 103' may be lowered thereby lowering the forward end ofvan body 125. Bolster structure 189 (see FIG. 18) may be arrangedbetween rail car frame 25 and the forward end of van body 125 forsupporting the forward end of vehicle 101 during rail travel.

A forklifi truck type yard vehicle 191 (see FIG. 19) having horizontalfork structure 193 may be utilized in horizontally moving the forwardend portion of semitrailer vehicle 101 in an arc in loading andunloading the vehicle on the railway car. A seat 195 fitted on thedistal end of horizontally pivoted and vertically liftable forkstructure 193 is adapted to liftably engage the forward underside of vanbody structure 125 of vehicle 101 and swing the forward end of the bodystructure in a 90 arc about thrust pivot pin 133. Yard vehicle 191 isoperative for loading or unloading semitrailer vehicle 101 without theassistance oftruck-tractor vehicle means 103 or 103.

. Each railway car 21 preferably is long enough to transportablyaccommodate two semitrailer vehicles 101 (see FIG. A plurality ofvehicles 101 may be spotted in intermittently spaced pairs of vehiclesalong a railroad track by use of respective truck-tractor vehicles 103,103'. A plurality of pairs of vehicles 101 may be spotted with each pairof vehicles being arranged for loading on a respective railroad car;each vehicle 101 is stationarily supported on its landing gear means 169and wheeled can'ier assembly 105, and with its van body supported in anelevated disposition. After moving a train of railway cars 21 underneathassemblies 105 of the plurality of pairs of vehicle 101 and centeringeach car 21 in relation to a respective pair of vehicles 101, yardvehicle 191 may be utilized in horizontally swinging van body structure125 of each vehicle 101 onto frame means of railway car means 21; asingle yard vehicle 191 may be utilized for loading or unloading aplurality of pairs of spotted vehicles 101 on or off a train of railwaycars 21.

Two opposingly arranged pairs of vertical positioning rollers 197arranged each pair on a forward and rearward substructure portion ofeach carrier assembly base structure 107 are adapted to runningly engagehorizontal positioning rollers 91 on rail car 21 as the rail car ismoved underneath each carrier assembly base structure 107; opposinglyoperative pairs of rollers 197 provides means for longitudinallycentering carrier assemblies 105 over railway car frame 25 in responseto movement of rail car 21 along the railroad track therebylongitudinally shifting semitrailer vehicles 101 each to correctpositions perpendicular to a respective rail car. (See FIG. 10). Carrierassembly 105 of each vehicle 101 preferably includes spring members 199mounted respectively on the distal end portions of wheel suspension arms117 for cushioning the weight of vehicle 101 in road travel.

FIGS. 16, 18 and 19 illustrate a double tandem full trailer type carriervehicle 201 including forward and rearward carrier assemblies 203, 205having respectively base structures 207, 209; load-bearing means in theform of van body 211; and forward and rearward thrust pivot means 213,215 arranged respectively between van body 211 and forward and rearwardcarrier assembly base structures 207, 209. A tongue 217 is supported atits proximal end on a horizontal pivot pin 219 supported on forwardassembly base structure 207 (see FIG. 16). Hitch half means 221supported on the distal end of tongue 217 is adapted to be coupled withcoacting hitch half means on a towing vehicle for trailingly conveyingvehicle 201 in road travel. Dog means 223 operatively arranged betweenrearward carrier assembly base structure 209 and the rearward portion ofbody structure 211 is adapted to be selectively manipulated forreleasably locking the contradirectional rotational movement of carrierassembly 205 and body 211. Dog means 223 is adapted to be arranged in alocked disposition when vehicle 201 is operative in road travel and isadapted to be arranged in it released disposition when the vehicle isbeing loaded or unloaded on a railway car or is being transportablysupported on the railway car.

Double tandem trailer vehicle 201 may be transportably supported on asingle rail car 21 or may be supported on two rail cars 21 as shown inFIGS. 18 and 19. When supported on two rail cars 21, thrust pivot axismeans 253, 215 provide pivotal support means for body 211 particularlyoperative when the two rail cars are in angular relationship andtraveling along a curved railroad track. A rail yard tractor vehicle 229(FIG. 19) may be utilized in loading double tandem vehicle 201 onrailway cars 21 and in pivotally manipulating vehicle 201 from aperpendicular relationship with the railroad track (broken line showingin FIG. 19) to a loaded disposition on the railway cars (full lineshowing in FIG. 19).

In contrast to the loading procedure of single tandem semitrailervehicle 101, double tandem vehicle 201 is horizontally manipulated bytractor vehicle 229 to a corresponding longitudinally alignedarrangement over the railroad track before railway car means 21 is movedunder the base structures respectively of carrier assemblies 203, 205.After railway car means 21 is moved between front and rear wheel members225, 227 and positioned under the base structures of the forward andrearward carrier assemblies, wheel members 225,

227 are convergingly contracted thereby lowering van body 211 andcontracting wheel members 225, 227 from the road surface. Tongue 217 maybe pivotally moved upwardly against the side of van body 211 to a storedarrangement and carrier vehicle 201 be disposed in rail travelconfiguration.

FIG. 15 illustrates a double tandem trailer type arrangement 201'including forward and rearward wheeled carrier assembles 203, 205'having respectively base structures 207', 209'; forward and rearwardload-bearing structures 211, 211; and forward and rearward thrust pivotaxis means 213', 215 pivotally interconnecting respectively forward andrearward base structures 207', 209' and load-bearing structures 211,21 1. Wheel members 225', 227 of forward and rearward carrier assemblies203', 205' are guidingly constrained for converging diverging movementand each carrier assembly includes actuating mechanism and power meansfor convergingly divergingly moving respective wheel members 225, 227'.Vehicle 201' includes a tongue 217' pivotally supported on a horizontalaxis from forward carrier assembly base structure 207' and includes dogmeans 223' selectively operable for releasably locking the pivotalmovement of rearward wheel carrier assembly 205' relative to rearwardload-bearing structure 211 7 FIG. 15 illustrates double tandem vehiclemeans 201' in an arrangement supporting a load of long pipe sections P.Paired chains 212', 212 and chock members 214, 214' includedrespectively in load-bearing structure 211', 211' rigidly bind togetherpipe sections P in a stressed load I. constituting substantially thereach structure for turning movement of rearward carrier assembly 205'on the road surface. Double tandem trailer arrangement 201' mayoptionally include a coupling or reach pole 216" (shown in broken lines)bridgingly extending between forward and rearward carrier assemblies203, 205' and interconnecting respectively forward and rearwardload-bearing structures 21 1', 21 1 FIG. 8 illustrates an automotivetruck type road vehicle 24 including self-propelling power means andmanually operative control means for automotive movement of the vehicleon a roadway. Vehicle 24 includes a wheeled carrier assembly includingbase structure 26, front and rear wheels 28, and means mounting wheels28 on base structure 26 in converging diverging movement. Vehicle 24includes also engine means 30 for driving wheels 28 and for convergingdiverging movement of the wheels, load-bearing structure 32 adapted tocontain load structure or material M, and cab means 34 for housing theoperator and control means of the vehicle. Steering clutches or the likepreferably are included in the drive train means for wheels 28 forsteering the vehicle in road travel.

FIG. 17 illustrates roadway vehicle means 231 including a traction truck233 and trailer means 235 including a carrier assembly 237 and combinedreach and load-bearing structure 239 bridgingly interconnecting truck233 and carrier assembly 237. Traction truck 233 is similar to trucktype vehicle 24 of FIG. 8 and includes a wheeled carrier assembly 240including base structure 241, and front and rear wheels 243. Tractiontruck 233 includes also engine means 245, cab means 247 and preferablyincludes power means transmitted to front and rear wheels 243 throughsteering clutches for left and right directional control of truck 233when front and rear wheels 243 are in a contracted wheelbasedisposition. Carrier 237 includes base structure 249 and front and rearwheels 251. Thrust pivot 253 connects load-bearing structure 239 withcarrier assembly 237. Releasable dog means 255 permit tumingload-bearing reach structure 239 90 relative to carrier assembly 237 inloading and unloading roadway vehicle means 231 on railway vehicle means21. Vertical thrust pivot means 257 pivotally connects the forwardportion of load-bearing structure 239 with the body structure oftraction truck 233. Load-bearing structure 239 illustrated in FIG. 17 isadapted for hauling dry or particulate material and includes deep bottomdoors 259. Wheels 243, 251 respectively of traction truck 233 andcarrier assembly 237 may be simultaneously actuated to divergeddispositions when material M is being dumped through doors 259. Roadwayvehicle means 231 is loaded on rail vehicle means 21 in much the samemanner as the loading of the double tandem trailer vehicle 201 on therailway vehicle means. However, road vehicle means 231, being aselfpowered vehicular combination, may be loaded or unloaded on therailway car means without the assistance of other road vehicle means.

FIGS. 12, 13, 18 and 19 illustrate a full trailer single tandem roadvehicle 261 adapted for hauling intermediate length loads (approximately10 feet 6 inches to 20 feet in length). The vehicle 262 includes acarrier assembly including base structure 263, front and rear wheels265, and means mounting wheel members 265 in converging divergingmovement; and load-bearing bed structure 267, a tongue 269 adjustablysupported on base structure 263 and thrust pivot means including a pin271 pivotally supporting bed structure 267 on carrier assembly basestructure 263.

Vehicle 261, as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, is particularly usefulfor transporting heavy vehicular equipment such as crawler tractor T. Bymanipulating pin 273, tongue 269 may be arranged in a selected one ofthree configurations: (a) the tongue may be arranged freely pivotableabout pin 273 when it is in a full forwardly extended disposition (seeFIG. 13); (b) the tongue may be adjusted to project forwardly rigidlycantilever fashion from the base structure by moving the tongue inwardlyrearwardly within the base structure a short distance (see FIG. 12); (c)Tongue 269 may be translationally moved rearwardly and to a fullyretracted disposition within base structure 263 (see broken line showingof tongue in FIG. 12). Military type hitch means 275, permittingvertical and horizontal movement of tongue 269, preferably hitchesvehicle 261 to a tractor 277. Selectively operative dog means 279releasably locks the load bed 267 and carrier assembly 281.

The front and rear wheel members 265 are individually operative fortilting bed structure 267 along its fore and aft axis (see FIG. 13). Thetilting bed feature of vehicle 261 permits ready loading and unloadingof heavy vehicular loads such as the crawler tractor T illustrated.

A housetrailer vehicle 283 is illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19 andincludes a carrier assembly 285 including wheel members 287; housestructure 289; thrust pivot axis means 291; and hitch means 293 adaptedfor hitching vehicle 283 to a towing vehicle (not shown). Housetrailervehicle 283 is adapted to be loaded and unloaded on railway car 21 insubstantially the same manner as the above described manner of loadingand unloading vehicle 261 on the railway car. Bolsters 195, 197 or othersuch structure may be used for supporting or stabilizing respectivelycarrier vehicles 261, 283 on the railway car in rail travel.

lclaim:

l. Transporting apparatus comprising a railway vehicle supported formovement on a rail track, having a frame extending longitudinally of thevehicle; a roadway vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels arrangedin tandem, movable upwardly convergingly and downwardly diverginglywheelopposite sides of the rail track centerline to a dispositionsupported on said railway vehicle, including means for moving saidrailway vehicle on the rail track to a disposition positioning saidframe between the front wheels and rear wheels of said roadway vehicleand means for moving the front and rear wheels of said roadway vehicleupwardly convergingly to a contracted wheelbase configuration embracingthe frame of the railway vehicle.

2. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said roadwayvehicle includes self-propelling means and selectively operative meansfor automotive movement of the roadway vehicle in road travel.

3. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said roadwayvehicle includes reach means extending longitudinally of the wheels ofthe roadway vehicle and means for detachably connecting said reach meanswith a traction vehicle in road travel.

4. Transporting apparatus comprising a railway vehicle supported formovement on a rail track, having a frame extending longitudinally of thevehicle; roadway vehicle means including a truck-tractor, a semitrailerand means separably hitching the truck-tractor and semitrailer together,said semitrailer including a carrier having front wheels and rear wheelsoperative upwardly convergingly and downwardly diverginglywheelbasewise, and load-bearing means turnably supported on said carriertur'nable in a horizontal are relative thereto; and means for liftingsaid semitrailer from a road surface supported disposition with saidfront wheels and rear wheels arranged downwardly divergingly andrespectively on opposite sides of the rail track, to a dispositionsupported on said railway vehicle, including means for moving saidrailway vehicle on the rail track to a disposition positioning saidframe between the front wheels and rear wheels of the carrier, includingmeans for moving the front and rear wheels of the carrier upwardlyconvergingly, embracing the frame of the railway vehicle, and means forhorizontally turnably adjusting the load-bearing means of saidsemitrailer to a disposition corresponding with the longitudinalextension of said railway vehicle.

5. Transporting apparatus comprising railway vehicle means supported formovement on a rail track; a double tandem roadway vehicle including aforward and a rearward carrier each having front and rear road wheels,load-bearing means supported on and extending between the forwardcarrier and rearward carrier; and means for lifting said roadway vehiclefrom a road surface supported disposition to a disposition surmountingsaid railway vehicle means, including forward and rearward pivot meansoperative between said load-bearing means and the forward carrier andrearward carrier, means for horizontally turnably adjusting theload-bearing means relative to the forward carrier and rearward carrierfor arranging the roadway vehicle with the load-bearing meanscorrespondingly aligned with the rail track and with'the forward carrierand rearward carrier each being arranged crosswise of the said railtrack, including means for moving said railway vehicle means on the railtrack to a disposition between the front and rear wheels of the forwardcarrier and rearward carrier, and means for retracting the front andrear wheels of the forward carrier and rearward carrier upward andtoward the major axis of the railway vehicle means.

6. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said roadwayvehicle is adapted for trailing attachment to a towing vehicle in roadtravel and includes reach means extending forwardly of the wheels ofsaid forward carrier and between said rearward carrier and forwardcarrier, and hitch half means supported on the reach means of saidforward carrier adapted for connecting with a coating hitch half on thetowing vehicle.

7. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein at least onecarrier of said roadway vehicle is of traction truck form and includesself-propelling means and selectively operative control means forautomotive movement of the roadway vehicle in road travel.

8. Transporting apparatus comprising railway vehicle means supported formovement on a rail track; roadway vehicle means including a carrierhaving front and rear road wheels, and load-bearing means supported onsaid carrier; and means for lifting said roadway vehicle means from aroad surface supported disposition with said carrier arranged crosswiseof the rail track to a disposition supported on said railway vehiclemeans with said carrier crosswise surmounting said railway vehiclemeans, including means for moving said railway vehicle means on the railtrack to a disposition between the front and rear wheels of the carrier,means for retracting the front and rear wheels of the carrier upward andtoward the major axis of the railway vehicle means, and means forhorizontally tumably adjusting the load-bearing means of said roadwayvehicle means to a disposition corresponding with the longitudinalextension of said railway vehicle means including vertical thrust pivotmeans operative between said carrier and load-bearing means of saidroadway vehicle means.

9. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the roadwayvehicle means is adapted for trailing attachment to a towing vehicle inroad travel and includes reach means extending forwardly of said carrierfor trailingly guiding said carrier in road travel, including a tongue,means adjustably supporting said tongue on the carrier, and hitch halfmeans arranged on the'outboard end of said tongue adapted for connectingwith a coacting hitch half on the towing vehicle.

10. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said roadwayvehicle means is of semitrailer form, adapted for trailing attachment toa towing vehicle in road travel, including reach means extendingforwardly of said carrier for guiding said carrier in road travel, hitchhalf means arranged on the forward extension of said reach means forconnecting with a coating hitch half on the towing vehicle, and meanssubstantially integrally connecting said reach means and load-bearingmeans.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,610,169 Dated October 5, 1971 In fl Montaque W. Sh on It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet in the heading, item [72] "P.O. Box 1720 Memphis,Tenn. 38101" should read P.O. Box 80732, Chamblee, Georgia 30341 Signedand sealed this 24th day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents (10459) USCOMM-DC O0376P69 U 5 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE IQQO S6 3!l,

1. Transporting apparatus comprising a railway vehicle supported formovement on a rail track, having a frame extending longitudinally of thevehicle; a roadway vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels arrangedin tandem, movable upwardly convergingly and downwardly diverginglywheelbasewise; and means for lifting said roadway vehicle from a roadsurface supported disposition with the front and rear wheels arrangeddownwardly divergingly and respectively on opposite sides of the railtrack centerline to a disposition supported on said railway vehicle,including means for moving said railway vehicle on the rail track to adisposition positioning said frame between the front wheels and rearwheels of said roadway vehicle and means for moving the front and rearwheels of said roadway vehicle upwardly convergingly to a contractedwheelbase configuration embracing the frame of the railway vehicle. 2.Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said roadwayvehicle includes self-propelling means and selectively operative meansfor automotive movement of the roadway vehicle in road travel. 3.Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said roadwayvehicle includes reach means extending longitudinally of the wheels ofthe roadway vehicle and means for detachably connecting said reach meanswith a traction vehicle in road travel.
 4. Transporting apparatuscomprising a railway vehicle supported for movement on a rail track,having a frame extending longitudinally of the vehicle; roadway vehiclemeans including a truck-tractor, a semitrailer and means separablyhitching the truck-tractor and semitrailer together, said semitrailerincluding a carrier having front wheels and rear wheels operativeupwardly convergingly and downwardly divergingly wheelbasewise, andload-bearing means turnably supported on said carrier turnable in ahorizontal arc relative thereto; and means for lifting said semitrailerfrom a road surface supported disposition with said front wheels andrear wheels arranged downwardly divergingly and respectively on oppositesides of the rail track, to a disposition supported on said railwayvehicle, including means for moving said railway vehicle on the railtrack to a disposition positioning said frame between the front wheelsand rear wheels of the carrier, including means for moving the front andrear wheels of the carrier upwardly convergingly, embracing the frame ofthe railway vehicle, and means for horizontally turnably adjusting theload-bearing means of said semitrailer to a disposition correspondingwith the longitudinal extension of said railway vehicle.
 5. Transportingapparatus comprising railway vehicle means supported for movement on arail track; a double tandem roadway vehicle including a forward and arearward carrier each having front and rear road wheels, load-bearingmeans supported on and extending between the forward carrier andrearward carrier; and means for lifting said roadway vehicle from a roadsurface supported disposition to a disposition surmounting said railwayvehicle means, including forward and rearward pivot means operativebetween said load-bearing means and the forward carrier and rearwardcarrier, means for horizontally turnably adjusting the load-bearingmeans relative to the forward carrier and rearward carrier for arrangingthe roadway vehicle with the load-bearing means correspondingly alignedwith the rail track and with the forward carrier and rearward carriereach being arranged crosswise of the said rail track, including meansfor moving said railway vehicle means on the rail track to a dispositionbetween the front and rear wheels of the forward carrier and rearwardcarrier, and means for retracting the front and rear wheels of theforward carrier and rearward carrier upward and toward the major axis ofthe railway vehicle means.
 6. Transporting apparatus as defined in claim5 wherein said roadway vehicle is adapted for trailing attachment to atowing vehicle in road travel and includes reach means extendingforwardly of the wheels of said forward carrier and between saidrearward carrier and forward carrier, and hitch half means supported onthe reach means of said forward carrier adapted for connecting with acoating hitch half on the towing vehicle.
 7. Transporting apparatus asdefined in claim 5 wherein at least one carrier of said roadway vehicleis of traction truck form and includes self-propelling means andselectively operative control means for automotive movement of theroadway vehicle in road travel.
 8. Transporting apparatus comprisingrailway vehicle means supported for movement on a rail track; roadwayvehicle means including a carrier having front and rear road wheels, andloAd-bearing means supported on said carrier; and means for lifting saidroadway vehicle means from a road surface supported disposition withsaid carrier arranged crosswise of the rail track to a dispositionsupported on said railway vehicle means with said carrier crosswisesurmounting said railway vehicle means, including means for moving saidrailway vehicle means on the rail track to a disposition between thefront and rear wheels of the carrier, means for retracting the front andrear wheels of the carrier upward and toward the major axis of therailway vehicle means, and means for horizontally turnably adjusting theload-bearing means of said roadway vehicle means to a dispositioncorresponding with the longitudinal extension of said railway vehiclemeans including vertical thrust pivot means operative between saidcarrier and load-bearing means of said roadway vehicle means. 9.Transporting apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the roadway vehiclemeans is adapted for trailing attachment to a towing vehicle in roadtravel and includes reach means extending forwardly of said carrier fortrailingly guiding said carrier in road travel, including a tongue,means adjustably supporting said tongue on the carrier, and hitch halfmeans arranged on the outboard end of said tongue adapted for connectingwith a coacting hitch half on the towing vehicle.
 10. Transportingapparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said roadway vehicle means is ofsemitrailer form, adapted for trailing attachment to a towing vehicle inroad travel, including reach means extending forwardly of said carrierfor guiding said carrier in road travel, hitch half means arranged onthe forward extension of said reach means for connecting with a coatinghitch half on the towing vehicle, and means substantially integrallyconnecting said reach means and load-bearing means.